Trinamool, BJP urge Bengal doctors to resume work

Kolkata, June 12 (IANS) Urging normalcy of health services in West Bengal amidst the ongoing doctor's protests against the attack on colleagues of the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, both Trinamool Congress and BJP leaders on Wednesday requested the hospitals to resume work.

"Not just on behalf of Trinamool Congress, but as a citizen of the country, I condemn the attack on the doctors. But one should not forget that immediate action has been taken against the culprits. They have been arrested," Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee told reporters.

Banerjee, the nephew of Chief Minister and party supremo Mamata Banerjee, gave due "respect to the emotional outburst of the junior doctors" while reminding them about their duties and responsibilities.

"I want to ask you: who would be responsible for the death of the patients?" he asked.

He mentioned that the state Health Department is considering the demands of the doctors. West Bengal Health Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya held a meeting on Wednesday.

Pointing out one casualty in Midnapore Medical College due to the shutdown, he said: "Patients are moving from hospital to hospital, they are suffering and some are losing their lives. So I request everyone to have faith in the administration as the government is taking necessary steps".

On the other hand, BJP leaders directly blamed Trinamool for the ruckus at the hospital.

A protest erupted at the state-run NRS Hospital on Tuesday morning bringing the regular services to a standstill, after a junior doctor was allegedly beaten up by the kin of a 75-year-old patient who died there late on Monday night. The family members of the deceased patient alleged medical negligence.

An intern named Paribaha Mukherjee sustained serious skull injury in the attack and has been admitted in the intensive care unit of the Institute of Neurosciences in Kolkata's Park Circus area.

"Beating people and creating hooliganism inside a hospital premises has been a trend of the Trinamool workers. The consequent protest is a matter of worry and the CM heading the health department should think about it," BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya pointed out.

Lending his support to the protesting doctors, state party chief Dilip Ghosh said: "We support them and we are with the doctors. But I urge them not to punish common people and resume their work. I would request the administration to provide security to the doctors".